


Theory of Praise

by CrimsonBlueMoon (Navybluewings)



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: 5+1 Things, M/M, Marvel Trumps Hate 2018, Praise Kink, Steve perspective, Tony Stark Has A Heart, different stages of their relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-07 19:31:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17966651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Navybluewings/pseuds/CrimsonBlueMoon
Summary: The five times Tony can't take a compliment, and the one time he does.





	Theory of Praise

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sheron](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheron/gifts).



> Hello! It's been...a while since I've written anything for this couple. But I tech have three MTH winners I need to be thanking with wonderful writing, and so here is the first one! This is for Sheron, who has been a wonderfully patient person and dealt with my lack of understanding of how to keep on a time table. But I hope you enjoy this as well!

Theory of Praise

**One.**

Steve didn’t hate Tony.

He accepted that he was from another time, despite it only being a few decades in the grand scheme of things. The world had moved on far faster than he’d ever thought would be possible when daydreaming in his Brooklyn apartment, but it wasn’t impossible to catch up with some things. Their technology followed logic and patterns, which Steve excelled with. The culture was a different enemy entirely, each new villain popping up with a catchphrase of a societal issue that would fly over Steve’s head if not for some basic teachings from his team. Interviews were carefully prepared to keep from offending without realizing, and he’d never fully grasped why newspapers and magazines were so focused on taking pictures of him in civilian clothes. Steve shied away from the spotlight, hoping to stop evil from winning or save the world modestly behind his mask. 

But Tony Stark didn’t follow the same line of thought.

“Capsicle, coming in hot on your right!” Steve rolled his eyes at the quirky announcement.

“I told you-” He swung his shield hard into the robot’s chest plate before ramming it hard to the left to avoid the arrival. “Not to call me that.” 

“Keep meaning to remember that; it’ll stick eventually, I’m sure. What, being a genius and all.” He didn’t bother to spare a glance toward Tony after the tease, Steve focusing on knocking the head off the robot’s shoulders. Once watching the last of the electrical surge run through the circuits, Steve scanned the battlefield, hand already moving to his ear to tap on his mouthpiece.

“How we doing, team?” 

“Hulks busting them apart like legos on our side.” Hawkeye’s report was less formal than Steve would like from his teammates, but if he’d learned anything from the Battle of New York, it was that this team didn’t follow rules or restrictions very well. 

“Tell him to keep smashing,” Steve replied, only pausing in the conversation when another bot tried to attack. He dispatched the weak minion easily, eyes looking back to see Tony blasting a hole through three of them with his hand repulsor. “Ironman and I just eradicated the final hostiles on our side of the bridge. How’s the skies looking, Widow?”

“Okay, though the timeframe on that is diminishing.” Which had been a possibility from the start of the battle. Animatronic enemies tended to fare better against Thor’s attacks over aliens or biological mishaps, using his lightning as a boost. The hammer was strong, and could do damage with a heavy swing, yet it’s true strength lay in being able to take out larger crowds with one bolt. 

“He’s going to need more aerial support. Iron-Man-” 

“I’m already on it.”  Even with the robotic edge to his voice, Steve could hear Tony’s confidence when he shot back into the sky. For a moment, he watched the Iron Man suit glide through the air, sticking out with the bright red and gold armor that only Tony could convince people looked good. In his opinion, the suit was flashy, useless for stealth, and relied too heavily on having power during a fight. And that was before the glowing repulsors and boot thrusters. It was hardly a choice that Steve would ever recommend to someone trying to fight the good fight.

But he had to admit, it was powerful when Tony was in control of it. 

Allowing himself a moment to breathe, Steve watched Tony’s handiwork in action. Effortlessly he wound the suit between the thin metal chords holding the arch of the bridge in place, blasting holes or ripping through each enemy that got in his way. It was an intricate dance, like Tony was born to live in his suit. Each attack was planned, using the robots struggles to think quickly as his advantage when crisscrossing their paths into one another. Tony’s ability to help disrupt the robot’s plan to overwhelm Thor proved his intelligence far more than his mouth ever did. Steve knew that others had similar support, as he’d seen the file on James Rhodes when first hearing about the Avengers initiative, but his instinct made him doubt that even the prestigious man would handle the Iron Man suit like Tony. Despite his over-the-top personality, Tony was a valuable teammate. 

“You’ve bested yet another evil mastermind, Man of Iron!” Thor’s laugh was loud when the group met up after the battle, none looking quite prepared to face the press. Steve could only hope the heaps of building Hulk left at the entrance would keep the news at bay for a few moments, though he had seen their unbelievable resilience before. 

“I’d take it as a personal offense if I let myself get out-scienced by these generic Tonka toys,” Tony replied, grinning when his helmet slid back. “But thanks, buddy. You ain’t half bad, either.”    

“Thor’s right.” Steve waited for Tony’s attention to shift back to him, stepping forward to place a hand on the shoulder of metal in front of him. “You did good work out there today.”

“Wait, what? Wanna run that by me again? For a second I thought Captain America said I did something right for once.” Tony’s blink of surprise and dramatic reply tightened Steve’s lips for a moment, holding back his first instinct to reprimand. 

“Your skill with the Iron Man suit really changed the tide of this battle. It’s really impressive, even to someone like me. We couldn’t have done it without you.” 

“Oh.” For a moment, it didn’t look like Tony fully understood the response. Steve tried to think back on the route he’d taken, wondering if any robots had managed to get a blow to Tony’s helmet without either one of them noticing it. But before he could fully run the memory completely through, Tony’s wide-eyed gaze turned into a glare, knocking Steve’s hand off his shoulder with a scoff. “Gee, thanks pops.”

“What?” Steve asked, unsure of how to handle the sudden snark aimed his way. Tony’s face looked more flushed than before, and Steve wondered what he’d done to make him angry enough to get so red. 

“Really needed a ‘good job, kiddo’ from the Star-Spangled Man with a Plan. My dad would be so proud.” 

“Tony.” Natasha’s voice had an edge to it that Steve couldn’t place, though he knew that she was saying far more than just Tony’s name. 

“I’m going to feed the vultures; you guys are clean up crew.” Then Tony was suiting back up, faceplate back on while he shot back into the sky.  Flabbergasted at the negative response to his compliment, Steve stared at the shrinking form, unsure what had gone wrong. From the way Tony lit up anytime his name was a part of the conversation, he’d been sure giving Tony credit for his hard-work would have been a good thing. They weren’t able to agree on much, and he knew their relationship was still tumultuous. He’d just thought a small slip of praise might help patch one of the many potholes in their path. 

“Well that was fun.” Natasha’s smirk could be heard in her voice, Steve glancing over to her. The others conversed while making their way to direct the SHIELD agents now approaching the scene, but Nat stayed behind to give him a nod. “Looks like you’re growing on him, Rogers.” 

“That’s… not the feeling I got from that,” Steve admitted, unsure why the gleam in Natasha’s eye made his nerves rise. 

“Trust me; Stark likes you.” Then with a spin on her heel, Natasha was gone, leaving Steve even more confused than he’d been with the quick departure. 

Steve didn’t hate Tony; he just didn’t  **get** him.  

**Two.**  


“Spoiling Mr. Stark again, I see.” The smile of the woman behind the front desk made Steve grin, tipping the hat that did little to hide his cover. 

“Nice to see you too, ma’m.” He lifted the bag of lunch up for the woman to see, despite knowing that he had full access to the building in front of him. All the Avengers did, yet Steve didn’t like to use his authorization when he wasn’t in the uniform. Plus, Tony’s personnel were kind, and chatting with them was never a mistake in his mind.  

“What did you bring this time?”

“Just cheeseburgers from down the street,” he answered, giving her a polite nod before jogging toward the elevator. And if they were from Tony’s favorite greasy restaurant in this part of New York, then it was a nifty coincidence. 

Steve couldn’t help but wonder when the shift between cats and dogs and amicable friends happened, but he wasn’t gonna jinx it with a complaint. Working with Tony was nice, once both got over their egos and learned to bend a little. Steve wasn’t too proud to say his pride took more time to relent, only wearing down after an unexpected remark from Sam. 

_ “I don’t get why you two act like you don’t like each other. It’s like you’re both pulling each other’s pigtails, and neither knows how to let go.”  _

The shift was pretty simple after that, even if they occasionally had their bumps in the road. Talking still had the possibility of turning into arguments, but Steve had a better grip on reading between Tony’s line. Sarcasm was a shield of armor for Tony, and knowing that made it easier to avoid getting caught up in the moment. He still had his days where Tony knew the exact thing to say in order to get him riled up, but Steve chalked that up to natural differences of personality than actual issues. No matter how well their friendship was developing, he was still a man from that past while Tony felt centuries ahead. 

“Good afternoon, Miss. Potts.” Steve’s formal greeting had Pepper turning on her stylized heel in seconds, and it only took him a moment to realize something was off. Though Tony was the brains behind the technology, Pepper was nothing to scoff at. Smart as she was beautiful, she ran Stark Industries with ruthless business instincts. It was rare to see her sweat or show any sign that she had lost control of the situation. Yet the worried lines creasing her forehead now proved that something was amiss.

“Hello, Steve.” Even her smile was lacking ease, showing Pepper was in a rare mood of discomfort. 

“Is something wrong?” He tried to lose his authoritative voice when speaking to Pepper, knowing he did not want to get on her bad side. Pepper’s shoulders slumped when she turned back to the table in front of her, hands grasping a pile of papers that looked far too official to Steve to be handling. 

“This deal was supposed to be finished by 5pm today, but their last-minute stipulations is putting a snag in the deal. We need this contract in order to move forward with our plan for solar energy power buildings in the west coast. They're the only one of their kind in that area, which means they're getting demanding. I’m trying to get our lawyers to read through it in order to check for anything worrisome, as this company is known for trying to destroy others from within, but there’s a lot to go over in a little amount of time.” Her explanation proved that the situation was something he couldn’t help with despite his desire to do just that. 

“What’s Tony think about this?” Steve asked, glancing around the office to locate Tony.  

“He’s in Miami for the day, he won’t be able to solve this.” Yet no sooner than the words had left Pepper’s lips, the windows of the office slide open, a familiar suit of red and gold gliding into the window with practiced ease. 

“I’m gone for a few hours and your faith in me already dwindles. I’m hurt, Pep, really.” Tony’s cheeky smile appeared from behind the faceplate when Pepper rolled her eyes.

“I’m sure your humble ego will recover.” She presented her cheek after her reply, smiling when Tony pressed a kiss to the freckled skin. The frivolous affection was normal for Pepper and Tony, who had been partners and friends for years. A relationship had been expected to grow, and the thought seemed to be entertained for a moment between the two. But when getting closer to Tony, he realized that the chemistry that he begrudgingly noticed between them wasn’t romantic. They were partners, yes, but not because they held hands or shared a bed at night. It was because their minds linked up perfectly, in a way that Steve couldn’t fully match yet. And though he was proud of Tony for fostering a positive relationship with a woman that didn’t require a loss of clothes, other emotions nipped just at the edges of his mind. 

Ones that he wasn’t ready to face. 

“Don’t make me blush.” 

“Do you even know how to do that anymore?” Steve’s voice seemed to catch Tony’s attention, turning to face him with a shrug. 

“You want to find out?” It was a harmless flirt that Tony threw at anyone he felt comfortable with, but Steve still felt the twinge of embarrassment when he winked. “You’ll have to wait until I’m done here; can’t play before I get my business done.” 

“Should I eat these alone, then?” Steve only had to wave the bag of food twice before Tony grabbed it from his hand, quick to dig into the first cheeseburger while looking over Pepper’s shoulder.

“This the contract amendments?” He asked after his first bite, eyes flickering through the lines of paperwork. “The one sent this morning in the email?”

“Yes, though the lawyers are still looking-” 

“Check out page thirty-four. There’s a paragraph that speaks about their roles in the buildings on the west coast which is them trying to take over profits once the construction is complete.” 

“When did you find time to read this before flying here?” Pepper asked, flicking to the page without hesitation. 

“I didn’t; read it on the way back. J.A.R.V.I.S helped highlight any pieces of the document that didn’t match our original contract.” Her lower lip tightened while she read the passage, eyes lighting up when picking out the passage pointed out to her. “Have our lawyers highlight the change and cancel the contract.”

“But what about the solar power?” 

“I spoke with a contractor from Japan who owes me a favor. They’re more than happy to accept the job at a much lower price. Their representative will be contacting you later today.” 

“Tony, that’s amazing.” Her voice lacked the previous tightness when she spoke, Pepper looking up at him with a laugh. “I’ll go contact the lawyers now. You’re a lifesaver.”

“Kind of comes with the title ‘hero’, right?” He said, turning his attention back to the cheeseburger while waving her toward the door. “I’m still at my meeting in Florida, if anyone asks. Got a few selfish upgrades I want to make on my new suit.” 

“You got it, boss.” Her smile was soft when she walked out of the office, her heels clicking with purpose across the floor. Steve watched her go for a moment before he turned back to Tony, who had planted his butt on the edge of his desk while he tore into his lunch. He looked casual despite half of his body encased in the iron man suit, which Steve was surprised wasn’t snapping the desk in half.  Then again, this was Tony, and Steve wouldn’t have been thrown off if he’d created the desk with the expectation of holding his weight in the suit and then some. 

“What?” Tony’s eyes blinking brought Steve out of his own thoughts, watching Tony lift the cheeseburger out toward him. “You want a bite or something? I promise I don’t have cooties.” 

“No, just thinking maybe we should change nicknames. You seem to be the one who always has a plan now.”  

“Some of those plans ends up a disaster, as you’ve told me a time or two.” The answer was smooth, Tony dropping his gaze to the brown bag beside him while he shrugged. “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut.” 

“This was more than luck; you’re really good with people.” Steve took a step closer to the desk, reaching forward to snag his own food from the crumpled bag. “That’s why we always let you take the lead for our press conferences. You’re charming, and people like to listen to what you have to say.” 

“I thought it was my big mouth?” Tony teased, but before Steve could refute the statement, Tony continued. “You get us any fries? I’m missing out on a master chef’s filet mignon for this.” 

“We both know you hate fancy dinners,” Steve said, but started to fully unpack the lunch while letting Tony banter back. 

And for the moment, he didn’t notice. 

**Three.**  


“You know, I didn’t expect Clint to be a cute kid.” Tony’s joke was followed by a slow flick of his finger against the toddler’s forehead, smirking at the glare that Clint gave him over chubby cheeks. Steve tried not to smile when he picked up Natasha from the ground, letting her wrap around his waist when he turned his attention to Bruce. 

“Have we located a way to reverse the magic?” 

“Magic isn’t real,” Tony cut in instantly, but Bruce and Steve were both used to ignoring the protest they all knew wasn’t true. 

“This isn’t linear magic like Loki's scepter or Mjolnir. This is old magic unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The degeneration of their bodies is so fascinating, but defies all of our science.” Bruce’s glasses were pushed closer to his eyes when he crouched closer to Sam’s smaller body, who was happily flopped back playing with Bruce’s keys. “It seems like they’re still maintaining the appropriate age difference. If I had to guess, they were brought back between twenty five and thirty years.” 

“Is there a concern that they’ll continue to uh… de-age?” Steve wasn’t sure what the scientific term was for their current situation was, but Bruce caught the gist of it when he shook his head.

“No, they’ve stayed the same developmental age since the spell was cast on them. And from Thor’s lack of concern, I don’t think they’re in immediate danger. He said he’s going to locate Loki and see if he has any knowledge about this; for now, we’ll have to see what we can do from our side.” 

“Any clue as to why we weren’t affected by the spell?” Steve asked, Bruce giving a quiet hum while rubbing the side of his neck.

“The serum probably kept us from getting affected, and Tony’s armor or refusal to believe in magic seems to best the greatest of sorcerers.” Bruce peeking up over his glasses proved he was trying to make a joke, and Steve gave an encouraging smile when Tony scoffed.  

“Well, while you two try to demystify our current problem, I’ll take care of getting these three ready for bed.” Steve was quite smart, but he knew when he was outmatched. He didn’t take offense to being dropped to babysitting duty for his younger teammates, as his calm demeanor worked much better for children than Bruce’s nervous energy or Tony’s blunt persona. So he took his time gathering each into their rooms, making sure each teammate was asleep in their beds before moving into the kitchen. He knew that both geniuses hadn’t eaten since breakfast, as the fight and their friend’s ailments had distracted them from their body’s natural needs. And with their track records, he knew that neither would be thinking about their own health. He’d turned on the coffee pot, and the final drop of the addictive beverage had splashed into the pot before the two scientists fumbled into the kitchen. 

The darker bags under Tony’s eyes made Steve’s scowl deepen, though he tried to hide it when chopping the apple in front of him. Tony’s lack of self-care hadn’t bothered Steve at first, but the closer he’d gotten to the man, the more he found himself checking in on his well being. He’d brought more dinners down to the lab than he could count, and herded Tony into his room for sleep at least twice a week. He wasn’t sure when he’d gotten comfortable putting a hand on Tony’s lower back to lead the other up to his bed, or when he’d been given his own code to the lab. He couldn’t remember the first time that his eyes flickered to the tan skin that peeked out from the hem of Tony’s shirt when he raised his arms to fix something in the lab. But he also knew that Tony’s need to ‘alter Cap’s suit’ had increased far more since they’d gotten close. And Steve couldn’t say he minded Tony’s fingers sliding over his thighs when testing the Kevlar. 

“Coffee!” Tony perked up at the sight, quick to scramble to the cupboard for his favorite coffee mug. Bruce yawned when he took a seat at the kitchen’s bar, elbows propped up onto the hard surface to lay his palm under his chin. 

“Any luck?” Steve asked, moving the cut fruit in front of Bruce. 

“Not quite.” He earned Bruce's glance of gratitude before he turned his attention to Tony, who was practically bouncing on his toes when stirring his coffee. Again, his hand gravitated to Tony’s arm, gentle when guiding Tony to a seat next to his own. 

“Eat, then coffee.” He didn’t let go of Tony’s bicep before he grumbled and snagged an apple slice, popping it into his mouth with dramatics that had Steve rolling his eyes. But he was pleased when Tony grabbed another piece, turning back to the unfinished sandwich he’d been making before. “Dr. Banner, what have you figured out?” 

“Nothing yet. We’ve got a running theory, just waiting on the results. Tony suggested looking at the blood composition to see if the magic-”

“Not magic,” Tony grumbled into the first bite of the sandwich placed in front of him. A low moan vibrated from his throat when he looked back to Steve. “I want to marry your culinary brain.”

“It’s just a sandwich,” Steve answered with a scoff, but felt his face heat up despite his downplay. 

“Quit your job and live in my kitchen.” Tony’s eyes glimmered with a tease that Steve couldn’t imagine would have been there six months ago. 

“Don’t know if my current boss is gonna go for that. He doesn’t like it when people touch his stuff.” 

“Who taught Captain America to be a smartass?” Tony smirked after his question, quick to play along with Steve’s sarcastic answer.

“Pretty sure that’s what happens growing up in Brooklyn.” His answer got a grin from Tony, who let his eyes linger before nibbling on the sandwich. And though he knew it wasn’t anything close to romantic, Steve’s pulse still jumped despite the super soldier serum meant to keep it steady. 

“Uh, should I go?” Bruce’s nervous tone was enough to break the moment, Steve coughing before moving away to wash the dirty utensils. 

“No. My apologies, Dr. Banner.” He didn’t need to think of a way to redirect the conversation; a chime from Bruce’s phone filled the empty space. Steve glanced over his shoulder to see Bruce skimming through his phone, eyes wide behind his glasses when pushing off of his seat. 

“The blood results just came in. Tony, you were right, it’s in their blood cells. We might be able to use a reverse vibration to calibrate- let me contact Dr. Cho and see if she can help reverse this.” Then Bruce turned his eyes to Tony, and Steve could see the awe reflected in his friend’s gaze. “Are you joining me?” 

“Think you got this one in the bag, Brucie Bear. Say hi to Dr. Cho for me.” Tony waved the final bite of the sandwich at Bruce before popping it into his mouth, and Steve nodded his own form of goodbye to Bruce’s retreating form. Once alone with Tony, Steve leaned next to him on the counter, allowing his pride to tug a grin on his face. 

“You’re going to let Dr. Banner take the glory? That’s unlike you.” 

“Coffee comes before gloating.” Except he knew how selfless Tony was from the countless times he’d seen him risk everything on and off the battlefield for the greater good. The persona that Tony presented to the world was flashy and grandiose, and at one time fooled Steve. But now he saw the truth, and he wondered why Tony didn’t let his natural glow shine more often. 

“Your mind is… something else, Tony.” And when he caught the brown eyes glancing up to him, looking ready to roll with a sarcastic remark, Steve spoke again. “It’s beautiful, really.” 

“Brains aren’t beautiful,” Tony answered quickly, but Steve shrugged to show his opinion hadn’t been swayed.

“Maybe it’s just yours, then.” His flirting skills were a rusty blend of clumsy and too truthful, even before he got frozen in time. Bucky used to tease him about never being able to sway a girl’s attention that way. And maybe he was right about that, because no woman’s cheeks had ever bloomed with the same color red that Tony now sported, hand nearly dropping the coffee mug from his flustered state. Taking a chance, Steve stepped closer, hand soft when resting on Tony’s shoulder. “Your ability to think outside the box and create escape plans or blindsides isn’t luck; it’s your brilliance. I don’t know how you do it, Tony, but it’s… amazing.” 

“Well, when you’re just a human on a team of superpowered heroes and assassins, you gotta keep your place somehow.” The dismissal of the praise made Steve scowl, but Tony didn’t seem to notice when pushing off the seat and out from the hand on his shoulder. “Which means I shouldn’t have shouldered the legwork on my favorite green rage machine. I’ll help Bruce set up for when the kiddos-” 

“Tony.” Steve’s voice was steady when calling out to him, waiting for the other to turn back and face him in order to speak again. “I meant what I said, you know. You’re amazing.” 

“...Sure, Cap.” But the wounded look that flickered across Tony’s face proved that he had wanted to reply with something much different than an agreeable statement. His fingers were pale from how tightly they gripped the coffee mug when leaving the kitchen, leaving Steve confused in the silence. 

**Four.**  


The two danced around their feelings for a month more before Steve woke up in Tony’s bed. It hadn’t been hard to fall into an intimate relationship after that, as their sexual energy was just as explosive as their regular chemistry. Kissing to stop a heated argument seemed to work much better at keeping Tony happy, and Steve couldn’t say he minded. The team was even happier, teasing the duo any chance that they could get. Steve took the sneers and jabs with a smile or an eye roll, so long as he got to lock lips with a very eager Tony at the end of the day. 

But they couldn’t be together all the time (they were adults, not teenagers with their high school sweethearts), and Steve hadn’t caught sight of Tony all day. It had been quiet, none of their normal enemies causing a ruckus. He was sure that Tony was lurking in his lab, creating something that hopefully wouldn’t come back to haunt them later on. So Steve grabbed his workout clothes and headed down to the gym at the bottom of the tower. There was always someone to spar with, as most of their teammates had terrible sleep schedules and more energy than they knew what to do with. The sound of combat echoed throughout the entrance of the gym, but Steve was surprised to find Tony upon entering. He was barefoot on the mats, eyes focused on Natasha’s slow movements in front of him. Curious, Steve stayed by the door, watching the two silently. 

Natasha struck first, agile movements quick and deadly when approaching Tony. But Tony didn’t freeze, avoiding the first punch to throw out his own attack. Natasha was the best hand-to-hand combat fighter on their team, taking down large enemies within a blink of an eye. She was holding back, Steve could see that, but not much. And Tony didn’t seem to need too much of a handicap with how well he was keeping up with her. His arms were placed in the proper defensive positions to block her movements, his eyes darting around to calculate her next move. The two of them were like water, working fluidly and finding openings where no other would. It was like watching art, and each hit that connected was quickly countered by a rebuttal from the other. He could see how much improvement Tony had gone through since the first day he’d stumbled into the cocky persona in New York. 

Natasha eventually pinned Tony down to the mat, but Steve couldn’t help the swirl of pride over Tony’s exhausted smile. 

“Sorry, Nat, but I’m a taken man now. No matter how tempting your thigh mount is.” His wink was exaggerated, and Natasha rolled her eyes before pushing up to her feet, her hand deceptively small when helping Tony up. 

“You’re getting better,” she commented calmly, and Steve watched Tony shrug with the grin that Steve knew by now meant he was shielding himself. 

“The bruises tomorrow will say otherwise.” 

“Nothing wrong with that; even the strongest warriors have scars.” Then Natasha paused, her lips quirked into a smirk before her eyes glanced to Steve. He was surprised by her focus, feeling the hint of a blush spread over his cheeks from the attention. “Well, except for super soldiers.” 

“That I can confirm.” But it was Tony’s playful reply that really made him flush, Steve awkwardly crossing his arms over his chest with a huff. 

“Are you two done?” He wasn’t sure if he meant the training or the teasing, but Natasha seemed to understand. She stepped away from Tony, her arm slow to rotate her shoulder when walking to the doorway. 

“I’ve got a meeting with Director Fury.” Her arm brushed Steve’s when she passed, her voice lowered. “Be sure to clean up, boys.” 

“Will do!” Tony called back, Steve shaking his head before venturing into the gymnasium. His shoes were off before he jogged onto the mats, stopping in front of Tony with less space than most would consider polite. But Tony seemed quite content with the close contact, his hands sliding over Steve’s chest with a hum of pleasure. “Or, we’ll try to.” 

“We’re not having sex in the gymnasium.” He wanted his words to sound more confident, but it was always hard to make firm rules with Tony. 

“Is that so?” Instantly, Tony flashed a grin of mischief, and Steve took a steadying breath to keep his body from twitching in interest before changing the subject. 

“Natasha’s right; you have improved on your combat skills.” A flinch of the hands on his chest caught his attention, and Steve saw the teasing spark instantly die under Tony’s raised guard. Ever since Steve had stumbled into Tony’s bedroom, all of their shields had been dropped. Curious over the exchange, Steve pressed on, sliding an arm around Tony’s waist to keep him from running away. “You’ve gotten better with your leg sweeps, and I’ve noticed your reaction speeds were increasing. Natasha may have been holding back, but she won’t have to if you keep improving. I’m really proud of you, Tony.” 

“Don’t-” Tony cut himself off, and Steve searched the confliction running over Tony’s face. 

“Tony?” He asked quietly, hand reaching up to cup the strong jaw. His touch wasn’t refuted, Tony leaning into the firm palm. For a moment, Tony’s eyes squeezed shut, reopening with a blaze of passion that surprised Steve. 

“I think we should go to my room. I could show you some other things I’ve learned with my legs.” Tony’s mouth lifted to fit itself over Steve’s after the sensual comment, lips far too skilled to resist. 

But even as he let himself be led deep into Tony’s sultry taste, his mind lingered on Tony’s troubled frown.

**Five.**  


Contrary to what most people thought, Steve didn’t hate functions. Most of them were for good causes, like charities or banquets to bring awareness to a cause that the Avengers supported. The suits were different than the uniforms he wore when in the army, but the ability to dress up had always been something he enjoyed as a child. It was rare he had the ability to wear anything formal when food wasn’t a guarantee. So now, being able to label it a ‘duty’ for his job, Steve could enjoy the finer silk and well-fitted suit without the guilt from his past. Though he hated to be treated like a trophy or a piece of meat, there were some events that he tended to enjoy far more than others. 

Like his boyfriend’s charity for wounded war veterans. 

“Tones really overdid himself this time.” Rhodey’s relaxed form leaning against the bar proved he was also enjoying the night, his glass bubbling from the drink given to both of them by a waiter walking by. Steve swirled the glass of champagne despite knowing it would do nothing for him. By now, drinking was more of a social expectation for him, and Rhodey seemed to know that from the slight chuckle he got when downing the drink. 

“Tony tends to be the best at whatever he deems he worth his effort,” Steve answered, eyes glancing through the hall in order to find the man in question. Tony wasn’t hard to locate, his smile bright when leading Pepper to a few guests he was sure had a heavy pocket. It was in these moments where Tony was able to use all of his skills, like he was made to orchestrate the world to his every whim. And Steve couldn’t think of someone who could do it better.

“Hey, I ain’t gonna complain. He helps support the veterans in ways that nobody else can. If he had let them put his name on one percent of the stuff he’s done for them, the Army might be called ‘the Stark’.” Despite the joking tone Rhodey used, Steve paused at the statement, tilting his head toward his teammate in confusion.

“He won’t let them give him credit?” 

“The closest he gets to putting his name on his charity is this one, but even that he labels as a ‘company event’. The other stuff he lets Pepper take claim over or names it after some obscure scientist I have to google just to know what century they lived in. He’ll brag forever with us, sure, but that’s cause he expects us to shut him down after. But you give that man an actual compliment? Like trying to get a cat in water.” 

“Yeah, I’m starting to see that.” Because it’d been a thought he’d been having a lot over the past couple months. Rhodey’s words simply confirmed what Steve already concluded; Tony couldn’t accept praise. It would be refused or turned into a joke that downplayed his accomplishment. Sometimes, he even made comments that completely contradicted the compliment previously given to him. Tony was too good at side-stepping, flashing colorful feathers of fake conceit to throw others off his trail. 

“Speak of the devil.” Rhodey’s laugh was soft when he clapped a hand onto Tony’s shoulder, the best friends sharing grins that showed their comfort with one another. 

“Slander,” Tony answered instantly, Rhodey shrugging with ease. 

“Who says it was bad? Maybe we were basking in the charitable nature that is Tony Stark.” 

“With you two? Unlikely.” 

“And we said that you have an issue with taking a compliment. Like the fact that you’re single-handedly helping more veterans than the VA with your contributions.”

“Debatable. Have you seen the news? I’m a conceited narcissist, channel ten said so this morning.” 

“This is what we were talking about. Tell him, Rogers.” Rhodey glanced to Steve, who stared at Tony despite the directed comment. Because Tony’s words struck something hard inside him. The words were automatic, like Tony thought that the words were true. He didn’t need to think about a sarcastic line or a fault in himself; he already had them lined up in his head. And Steve knew that he couldn’t let it slip by again. 

“Could we have a minute?” Then Steve was moving forward, keeping the grip on Tony’s wrist light when he pulled the other away from the smirking Rhodey. Steve didn’t look up when he weaved through the crowds, finding what he was searching for when pushing through the hall’s door and finding a room of seclusion. 

“Steven Rogers, pulling me away from charity for a mid-party necking?” Tony looked giddy at the suggestion, not hiding his excitement when pressing close enough to brush a kiss over Steve’s lips. Despite his purpose of dragging Tony having nothing to do with sex, Steve still took the time to kiss back, licking the strong taste of bourbon off Tony’s lower lip before he pulled back. 

“Tony,” he breathed quietly, keeping his lips close to Tony’s when hearing the hum of concentration in reply. “Rhodey’s right.” 

“Not gonna lie, talking about Rhodey bear right now is killing my boner,” Tony murmured, trying to lean forward for another kiss. But Steve didn’t let him interject again, placing firm hands onto his shoulders to guide Tony away from the intimate contact. 

“Why don’t you let people compliment you?” 

“What?” Tony blinked his eyes open at the question, focusing on Steve with a scowl. “You have me alone in a room perfectly made for sex and you wanna talk about compliments?” 

“Every time one of us tries to give you credit for something, you shut us down,” Steve explained, Tony’s scoff echoing throughout the room.

“That’s not true, I am quite fascinated with myself.” 

“But you don’t allow others to love you.” The counter was met with silence, which was a feat in itself when dealing with Tony. Steve took the conversation slowly, thumbs slow to rub over Tony’s collarbones when he spoke. “Whenever one of our team members tells you how amazing you are, your intelligence or your ability to coordinate big deals-”

“You mean the stuff that’s presumed of me?” Tony’s voice lacked the normal bravado he projected when trying to avoid a conversation, though he eyes looked past Steve, hard and unforgiving. Steve wasn’t sure who the negative emotion was aimed at, though he could take a guess. “The stuff that you guys praise me for? Why would I accept that? It’s like… like congratulating a fish for breathing underwater. Which I'm sure Thor would find no problem with, bless his wholesome heart. But you and any normal person? You do not do it because it’s not warranted.” 

“Do you think we expect you to do all of these things?” Steve asked, his heart clenching when Tony winced before he could shrug. “Tony…”

“I know what my role is, what I provide for this team; a brain, some money, maybe some cool gadgets. I do what I’m supposed to do, and as my dad used to say, you don’t get a ‘thank you’ for your job.” 

“That’s not true. Jesus, Tony, I-” Unable to formulate a proper response, Steve slid his hands up the thin neck to cup Tony’s face, turning it to face him own while he spoke. “You’re something special. I can’t tell you enough how important you are to me, not because of your…  **value** , but because of who you are.” 

“You don’t need to flatter, I’m already in your bed.” The words were mumbled against Steve’s thumb, softer than Steve expected. Tony’s only tell that the words shook him was the flicker of hesitation in his eyes. Steve’s brows furrowed at the dismissive answer. Leaning down, he pressed his forehead to Tony’s, words spoken with a low, firm voice he knew never received a challenge. 

“I’ll make you see what I see, Stark. That’s a promise.” 

“I’m not holding my breath, Rogers.” But there was hope there, just lingering between Tony’s lips when he closed his eyes to Steve’s firm kiss. 

And Steve planned to make good on his promise.

**+One.**

“Fuck, Steve, right there.” Tony’s words of encouragement matched the hands sinking into his hair, guiding Steve’s lips lower onto his cock. The candles that burned softly on the nightstand provided a warm glow over Tony’s sweaty skin, thighs trembling as they parted wider on the satin sheets of his bed. Steve’s free hand caressed the strained muscles slowly, while two fingers slid deeper inside Tony’s entrance. The rhythm was slow and thought out, Steve taking his time to unravel Tony’s mind with his hands and mouth. Tony always wanted to participate, but Steve refused to let him take charge. 

He had a plan, after all. 

Steve hummed against the base of Tony’s arousal, tongue gentle when sliding against the underside of the tip. He felt the hips under him arch up, then jerk back down to the fingers rubbing slowly over the prostate. He’d been teasing it softly for minutes, winding Tony up with soft caresses between the sporadic sucking around the pulsing heat between his lips. He rolled his lips back up the length slowly, letting the edge of the tip pop out after Tony’s gasp echoed in the room. Not wasting time, he leaned back down, letting the flat of his tongue slowly stroke over the twitching flesh. He curled his fingers when swirling his tongue over the sensitive head, watching Tony’s head toss back and cry out in pleasure. 

“I’m gonna come if you keep doing that.” The breathless tone was what he needed to hear, Steve giving a final suck of affection before pushing up to lay over Tony. Another finger was slow to brush over the entrance, and he took his time pressing the new addition inside. He loved watching the blissed-out expression cross Tony’s face, and he slipped his hand from the thigh to graze Tony’s arousal. A full-bodied shiver was his reward, Steve smiling before leaning down to press and open-mouthed kiss to Tony’s neck. 

“I wanna see you enjoy yourself,” he mumbled quietly into the skin, teeth grazing Tony’s jaw when moving up to nip Tony’s earlobe. “You’re so beautiful like this.” 

“Get inside me, Rogers.” The growl in Tony’s tone proved that his patience at their slow pace was running thin, and Steve pulled back from the warm body beneath him to catch Tony’s gaze. 

“You’re really unique. Something nobody else can replicate.” The haze in Tony’s eyes slightly cleared at the praise, but his body tightened around the fingers still rocking inside of him.

“W-what? Steve, fuck me.” 

“I will. But first, I wanna tell you how amazing you are.” He pulled his fingers out after the statement, replacing any complaint from Tony with a pleased gasp. Then Steve grasped under Tony’s thighs, yanking him closer to press himself against the warm body. He bit his inner cheek at the sensation of Tony’s bare skin rubbing against his own, begging him to slip inside. But he had a mission, one he’d promised himself and Tony he’d follow through with. He grasped his own arousal, rubbing his wet tip against the opening. Tony’s hands grasped at his biceps, trying to drag him closer to a groan. 

“No, I’m not- get inside, just get inside.” Tony’s teeth felt good against Steve’s skin when he bit into his shoulder, muffling his groan of excitement as Steve tilted his hips down to press into him. 

“Your mind is intricate in ways...God, Tony. You're always keeping me on my toes.” He slid his hand on the outside of Tony’s thigh lovingly, feeling the pleased goosebumps following his touch. He glanced down at Tony’s face, noticing the deeper flush resting under his blown out pupils. Tony’s precome drooled over his stomach, proving that Steve’s gentle words were only increasing his arousal. “Your creativity makes it impossible to guess what you’ll do next. Your kind heart grows each time you accept someone into your tower. You’re cultured and level-headed unless someone hurts people you love.” 

“Fuck,  **fuck** .” Tony’s eyes fluttered shut while he jerked his hips up, a choked cry escaping his lips when Steve finally let himself slip inside completely. The cock pressed between their stomachs twitched in need, but Steve left it to focus on pressing open-mouthed kisses to Tony’s temple. 

“Your body feels so good under mine. Your lips, your hips, everything about you drives me wild.” His breath was shaky when he started to move, hands gripping Tony’s hip to better thrust into him. Their bodies rocked together without prompting, Tony’s back arching to press them closer together. Steve’s own pleasure rolled in waves with each compliment, feeling Tony’s body suck him in closer with each endearment. “You’re amazing. I need you to see that, Tony.”

“I can’t,” Tony moaned out, hand grasping into the sheets before twisting it in bliss. Steve grunted when he rolled his hips into him again, fighting the urge to increase his speed. 

“You can, sweetheart.” Steve didn’t demand, but encouraged, kissing the panting lips presented to him. Tony’s moan of desire was low, tongue eagerly rushing out to meet Steve’s in a heated battle. Lust and desire swept between them, hands unable to sit still on the flexible body under his own. The feel of the thighs wrapped around his waist was intense, Steve’s growl raw when sliding harder into Tony’s pliant body. Steve’s touch found Tony’s hardened arousal, and his hand slipped along the needy skin to earn another gasp. “Tell me you see it. That you can see why me and everyone else is crazy about you.”

“God!” Tony’s nails raked down Steve’s back as he cried out the word, forehead burying into Steve’s collarbone. 

“Can you see it?” He asked again, only pausing the motion to huddle Tony closer to him. “Why you deserve love?” 

“...Yes.” The soft confession was vulnerable, Tony’s shoulders hunching closer to Steve’s chest when he gasped out the words. “Yes, Steve. Just never...God, this is terrible. Compliments are a total turn off, zero out of ten.”  

“Yeah?” Steve squeezed around Tony’s arousal, which smeared precome against his palm when it twitched. Tony shuddered, arching into the touch with a groan. “Should we stop, gorgeous?”

“Don’t even think about it, Rogers.” The slow growl Tony gave before shoving his hips down hard had Steve groaning, hands gripping the hips against his own before nuzzling Tony’s jaws with his lips. 

“Got it.” And then he was moving, eager to bring Tony to his peak. The orgasms came with little effort, both too wound up from their night to hold out. Tony didn’t look like he minded, Steve’s name crisp on his lips when his come rushed over Steve’s hand. Steve fell apart in two strong jerks of his hips, the tightening of Tony’s body sending him straight over the edge. The orgasm slammed into him, and Steve buried his face into the crook of Tony’s neck while he rode the waves of pleasure crashing over him. After a few long moments of bliss, Steve came back slowly when he dropped to his side, sticky and sated with Tony crowding his chest. 

“That was… really good.” Tony’s pleased hum vibrated against the bottom part of his neck. 

“Not a zero out of ten?” Steve teased, holding back his yelp when Tony pinched his side. 

“Shut up,” Tony grumbled, pulling Steve’s body closer to his own even as he complained. Steve smiled, leaning his cheek on the crown of Tony’s head. 

“You’re amazing, Tony.” A pause followed his praise, but he felt the shoulder pressed against his own tense for a moment before relaxing. 

“I guess I’d have to be, huh?” Tony asked, closing his eyes to settle into sleep despite the lack of shower or clean-up. “To date you and all. Guess I am something special.” 

And though it wasn’t perfect, Steve counted it as a win. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Alls well that ends with mind-blowing orgasms. Isn't that the saying? No? Well, either way, I hope you liked it, and make sure to check out all the other Marvel Trumps Hate contributions. They're amazing!


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